It didn’t take long before I heard from third party people that this had caused quite a stir amongst some in my little community. Some were shocked, some looked for sinister motives, some questioned my sanity, while others were just appalled at my desire to look younger. “Why won’t he just grow up? He dresses like a kid and talks in slang and now he’s changed his hairstyle. Its just wrong!” one upset woman told my wife.
But never once has anyone came up to me and asked me why I shaved my mustache. No one has stopped to think that maybe, just maybe there is another explanation to this change of my outward appearance other than something sensational and juicy and vile. But here for my loyal blog readers I will share.
ACTS 17
The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got—all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols.
So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. "It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows. I'm here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you're dealing with.
"The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn't live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn't take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don't make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. We live and move in him, can't get away from him! One of your poets said it well: 'We're the God-created.' Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn't make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?
"God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead."
At the phrase "raising him from the dead," the listeners split: Some laughed at him and walked off making jokes; others said, "Let's do this again. We want to hear more."
God wove an intricate web to bring Thrown together. We all feel called to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are blessed as God has afforded us more and more opportunities to share our mission and our message. Part of that is presenting the Gospel in a form that relates to our audience. Paul doesn’t come into the city of Athens and start yelling at the people about how their idols are dead and how they are going to Hell for their beliefs. No. He packages the message in a way they can understand. He uses their temple to an unknown god to present a real Gospel message. Some are turned away but a few are won over. This is how the Lord works.
We are called to work with youth of America. We are reaching out to the poor and disenfranchised. We reach out to the kids on the street and adults raised on alternative metal and hardcore living. White shirts and ties won’t cut it. Smiling faces and happy harmonies won’t do. We rock the Gospel. We dress the part. We look the part. In fact, we are living the part. The best part about Thrown is the community of Christ-followers that has sprung up. We bar-b-que. We play ultimate Frisbee. We prank each other. We roll in the Ark (the band van). We rock out. We have a blast. And we have Jesus in our hearts at the center.
Being a Christian isn’t about looking like everyone else. It’s not about conforming to a norm. It’s about being transformed by a Living Lord. It’s about teaching the message of love that Jesus brought to earth. It’s about reaching out to others. It’s about offering yourself up in service in His name. It’s not about the length of your hair or the number of tattoos you have or the things in your past. It is about whats in your heart.
I'm Not My Hair
India Arie
I am not my hair I am not this skin
I am not your expectations (no)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am the soul that lives within
As for looking younger…. I wonder, how many of those older ladies who are so upset by my goatee dye their own hair to look about ten years younger… Touché!
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